Registry-receipt for mail-matter.



L. V. SPOLLIN. REGISTRY RECEIPT PoR MAIL MATTER.

`APPLICAI'ION FILED DEO. 28, 1909.

1,016,234. Patented Jan. 30, 1912.

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Louis v; sroLLiN, or Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.-

REGISTRY-RECEIPT FOR MAIL-MATTER.'

Spec'icaton of Letters Patent;

Patented aan. so, 1912.

Application filed December 28, 1909. Serial No. 535,259.

To all whom t may concern: Y

Be itI known that I, Louis V. SPOLLIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Registry-Receipts for Mail-Matter, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to registry of mail matter, and the object of the invention is to produce a receipt which will simplify the transactions which occur in forwarding registered mail matter and so as to dispense with the labor involved in rebilling, to the end that mail matter may be forwarded with economy and despatch.

The invention consists in the construction of the receipt and the arrangement of its partsl which will be described more fully hereinafter and particularly set forth in the claims.

In practicing my invention I provide a return receipt-card which produces a record for thc office of origin, and having detachable coupons which are in duplicate. The return receiptscard is forwarded with the registered piece and the coupons referred to are vised or stamped in original and duplicate. These coupons are numbered consecutively, and the first coupon which is detached constitutes the receipt to the sender. The remaining coupons are detached by the successive postmasters who handle t-he registered matter, and each postmaster retains two of these coupons, one of which indicates that he received the parcel described in the receipt, and the other of which indicates that he forwarded the described parcel or piece of mail.

In the annexed drawing which fully illustrates my invention, Figure 1 represents the upper side of a registry receipt embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view showing the form of the rear sheet of the registry receipt. Fig. 3 represents an inset which is t-he card kept by the original registering office in order to enable the piece of mail to be traced if lost. Fig. 4 is an edge view of the complete receipt with the transfer sheet which is employed with it to make the duplicate at the original registering oflice, or issuing office.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the receipt is formed of a forward sheet 1 and a back sheet 2 which sheets are of elongated rectangular form and of the same size. They are preferably formed from a single piece and connected integrally at a folded edge 3. Near the folded edge 3 the forward sheet 1 is formed into a returncard 4 which is the card which is to be signed by the addressee when he receives the piece of mail, and this card is returned to the sender. This card 4 is divided by a horizontal line 5 into an upper section 6 and a lower section 7. The upper section 6 is ruled to receive the name and address of the addressee and the lower section 7 is ruled so as to receive the name of the sender with instructions to return the card to the sender. The upper section, inaddition to the ruling referred to above, is provided with a blank date line and a line to receive the name of the addressee as a receipt which is filled in by the addressee when he receives the parcel or letter. At the right edge of the return-card 4 a plurality of coupons 8 are attached in succession, the innermost coupon being connected to the card 4 at a score line 9.V Similar score lines 10 connect the remaining coupons 8 in succession. These coupons 8 are numbered in succession as indicated in Fig. '1, the outermost being numbered 1. These coupons 8 are provided near their upper edge with a serial number 11 which corresponds to the serial number 12 which is found upon the return-card 4 and these coupons may bear, above the serial number the initials U. S. P. O. D., indicating or standing for United States Post Office Department. Below the serial number 11 each coupon is inscribed with the name of the city where the stat-ion or post office issuing the receipt is located, together with the State and the station, such as Station H. In the upper portion of the body of each coupon, a square or blank 13 is formed which is to receive the stamp of the postmasters, and the lower portion of each coupon is similarly provided with a blank 14 similar to blank 13. These blanks 14 are intended to receive a second stamp which the rules may require to be applied as a check on the rst stamp.

Directly under the return-card 4 a blank 15 is formed on the rear sheet 2, and this blank, if desired, may receive spacing for date, etc., rules or instructions to postmas ters, and to the right edge of this blank 15 a plurality of coupons 16 are detachably connected by score lines 17. These coupons 1G correspond to the coupons 8 and are in register beneath them so that they mayv constitute duplicates. They are numbered consecutively and in the same manner as the coupons 8 and they are the same as the coupons 8 in other respects. In addition to this they are preferably printed in red ink and may be marked Duplicate as indil cated. Referring again to the return-card 4, this card has, at a suitable point, as, for 1o instance at its upper left hand corner, a blank 18 to be filled in so as to indicate the class of mail matter to which the piece of mail belongs. At the upper right hand corner of this return-card 4 a blank 19 is formed which is to receive the date stamp of the delivery oiiice. In the lower left hand corner of the. return-cardV 4 a blank square f 26 is formed to receive the date stamp of the office of origin. Directly under the return- 2o card 4, a record-sheet 20 is laid between the upper sheet 1 and the sheet 2, and this card is divided by a line 21 into an upper section .-22 and a lower section 23. The upper secvtion 22 is ruled to receive the name of the 25v addressee and his address, while the lower section carries the words Sent by and is ruled to receive the name of the sender. This record-card registers exactly under the return-.card 4 as will be readily understood, and at the upper right hand corner of the record-sheet a blank or blank square 24 is placed for date stamp of oiice of origin. f -In addition to this, this card carries the se- 4rial number 25 which is the same as the serial number appearing on the return-card and the coupons.

Fig. 4 indicates the manner in which the receipt is made out. In issuing the receipt, the record-card 20 is laid on the blank 15, and the transfer sheet 27 of carbon paper or similar material is laid between the upper sheet l and the record card Y20.V When the -q window clerk receives the letter or parcel to be registered he writes on the returncard 4 the name ofthe addressee as indicated in Fig. 1, thus; John Doe, 625 Elm St., Colton, Los Angeles,- California. This z; name and vaddress is transferred to the record-card 20 by the transfer sheet as illustrated in Fig. 3. In addition to this, the lower section 7 of the return-card is filled in by the name ofthe sender, thus; Richard jjRoe, 406 So. Main St., Los Angeles, California. This name and address is trans-` ferred to the lower section 23 of the recordcard 20 as indicated in Fig. 3. The date and time of despatch of the oiiioe of origin is then stamped in the upper blank of the coupon No. 1, and duplicate, and the initials, if required by the clerk, at a blank 13a. The blank 18 is then filled in to indicate the class of mail matter and this is transferred to the upper left hand corner of the receiptcard 20 at the blank 28. The record-card 20 is then removed, stamped at blank 24 A with the date of despatch and filed away as a tracer card and record of the registration. It will be noted that this card gives complete information as to the registered article. The original coupon No. 1 is then torn of on the score line 10 which connects it with coupon No. 2 and is handed to the sender as his receipt from the Post Otlice Department. With the registered article, the return-card 4 and its attached original coupons 8 and duplicate coupons 16 is forwarded.

The post ofce or branch post office which receives the registered article stamps original and duplicate coupon No. 2 with the date of despatch in case the article is to be forwarded. The postmaster then detaches duplicate coupon No. 1 and retains that coupon to indicate that the article was received from the sending post oiice. I-Ie also detaches original coupon No. 2, stamps it with the forwarding date, and retains it to indicate the time that he has forwarded the article. In case the article must pass through another post office or branch, the postmaster will detach duplicate coupon No. 2 and retain it to indicate that he received the article, and he will stamp original and duplicate coupon No. 3 retaining the original coupon No. 3 to indicate the time of forwarding the article. In this way each postmaster who handles the article has left in his possession two coupons which indicate that the article was received and forwarded. One of these coupons gives the date on whichA the article was mailed to the receiving postmaster and the other gives the date on which he forwarded the article. In this way the article is forwarded from postmaster to postmaster and a complete record of each transaction is kept without necessitating rebilling, or the recopying of any information relative to the registered piece.

In case any of the numbered coupons 8 and 16 remain attached when the returncard arrives at its destination, that is, at the delivery office, these remaining coupons may be detached from the return card and destroyed, and the return card can then be receipted when the article is delivered and stamped with the date of delivery on the blank square 19. The return card is then forwarded to the sender by return mail. This return-card is, of course, kept by the sender as his receipt from the addressee.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A post office registry receipt comprising superimposed sheets, the upper sheet being made up of a card bearing printed matter constituting it a return card and bearing a' receipt form in order that it may serve as a receipt, and coupons attached thereto and provided with data indicating the location of the office of origin, the under sheet having like coupons so located that they are in registration with the coupons of the return card and are identically marked, both sets of coupons having appropriate spaces for receiving the stamps of the post oflice handling the said registry receipt, a space being left beneath the return card for receiving a record card, a record card capable of being placed beneath the return card, the said re, turn and record cards being provided with properly designated spaces for receiving the names and addresses of the sender and addressee, so located as to be in registration when the cards are superimposed, and a transfer sheet extending over the record card and the coupons of the lower sheet whereby data placed upon the return card and coupons will be transferred to the record card and under coupons, said coupons, return and record cards having common identifying data.

2. A post office registry receipt, comprising a folder having upper and under sheets, the upper sheet being made up of a card bearing printed matter constituting it a re turn card, and bearing a receipt form capa ble of serving as a receipt, and detachable coupons, while the under sheet is made up of like detachable coupons so located as to be in registration with the other coupons when the sheets are superimposed and having spaces for receiving the stamps of issuing and handling post-masters, and a blank por# tion for receiving a record card, a card fitting upon said blank portion beneath the return card and bearing printed matter constituting a record card, the said return and record cards having' properly designated spaces for receiving names and addresses and other identifying data, so located as to be in registration when the cards are superimposed, the said folder being adapted to receive a transfer sheet so that it may extend beneath the upper sheet of the folder, for

transferring data placed upon the return card, and upon any of the coupons, the said ret-urn and record cards and coupons being provided with common identifying data.

3. A postoiiice registry receipt comprising a card bearing printed matter constituting a record card, and a back sheet having detachable coupons, a super-imposed upper sheet having a card portion bearing printed matter constituting it a return card and bearing a receipt form suitable for constituting it a receipt card, said upper sheet also having detachable coupons so located as to be in registration with the coupons of the back sheet when superposed thereon, the coupons of the upper and lower sheets being arranged in pairs affording originals and duplicates in each pair, appropriately designated blank spaces upon the record and return cards for receiving the names and addresses of the sender and addressee, so located that they wll be in registration when the cards are superposed, the several coupons, record and return cards each being provided with common identifying data, the coupons also having properly designated blank spaces for receiving the date and oflice of origin, and properly designated blank spaces to receive the date and oiiice stamp of the several postmasters, the first coupon when stamped constituting a receipt for the sender While the remaining coupons afford means for indicating the deposit and receipt of registered articles by the several postmas ters, and a transfer means interposed between the record card together with the upper coupons and the receipt card and the lower coupons.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 22d day of December, 1909.

LOUhS V. SPOLLIN.

Witnesses:

F. D. AMMEN, EDMUND A. STRAUSE.

Copies of this patentmay be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

